Path to Redemption
by spyguy181
Summary: Anakin stopped two Sith Lords, and a plot to exterminate the Jedi and overthrow the republic. What does he get? Banishment from the order due to him having a family. He goes on a path to redemption, and it all starts on Illum
1. Sand and Ice

The man blew dust from the speeder parts. He looked all around and just saw sand and his little house. Up in the sky, the two stars were in the middle. _Noon. _The man thought. If he was gonna be able to check all the moisture vaporators it needed to be fixed. He put the piece back into the speeder and took out another. Again sand all in it. _I hate sand, it's rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere._ He said with a thought. Again he blew out the sand put it back in. He made a mental note to weatherize the new speeder for the dessert. As it clicked into place he felt a presence. A presence he had not felt in almost three months. After he had defeated the Sith Lord and been banished from the Jedi.

"Obi-Wan."

"Anakin."

"What are you doing here? I have been banished from the Jedi."

"Yes, I know. But after almost two months of delegation, the council have considered a proposal."

"And what's that?" Anakin put the last pieces of the speeder together and hopped on. He pressed the button and turned it on. It ran smoothly.

"If you leave your family and never contact them again. You'll be accepted back into the order." Anakin looked at Obi-Wan suddenly. _Abandon my family?_ That was not an option he cared too much about them to just leave.

"I can't I love them."

"Come on Anakin. We can make arrangements to have Luke and Leia in the Jedi Order and trained." Anakin turned of the speeder and thought about this. _Either way, they would be in the Jedi Order it's only a matter of time. No, Padme would be devastated_.

"No, Padme wouldn't be able to bear me and the kids leaving. I will not leave them." Just then Padme came out of the house.

"Anakin did you get the..." She stopped mid-sentence. "Obi-Wan it's nice to see you again. What brings you here?"

"Well, the council have decided to let me back in the order."

"Oh Ani, that's wonderful."

"But only if I abandon you guys." Padme looked shocked.

"Are you serious?" She moved her head back and forth from Obi-Wan and Ani, looking for an answer.

"I'm afraid it is," Obi-Wan replied.

"Again I do not accept the offer. Now, please leave my property." Anakin said in an authoritative voice. Obi-Wan tried to protest but decided to leave. This left Anakin wondering, what should he do.

"Anyways, did you fix the speeder?"

"Yes, I did I'm going to check the vaporators right now."

"Good," she said with a smile.

Later that night Anakin had a dream. It was dark he heard a voice a familiar one. "Mmmhmmhm, How are you Skywalker?"

"Master Yoda? It's good to speak with you."

"Likewise it is. What is on your mind?"

"Why must I give up my family. How are Jedi supposed to protect the people if they can't understand and empathize?"

"Agree with you I do. Trying to get the council to change the rules I am. In the meantime, go to Illum you must and build a lightsaber of the Grey Jedi."

"The Grey Jedi?"

"Mmmm neither light or dark, in the middle they are. Remain a Jedi it will let you, and keep your family." Suddenly Anakin was awakened with a jolt. Luke was crying. Padme groaned and started to get up.

"I got this honey." He pulled off the sheets and went into Lukes room. He picked him up and put him on the changing table. Using the force he floated over a diaper and some wipes.

"Don't worry you're gonna be fine." He wiped and put the diaper on him. But yet Luke still persisted to cry. Anakin patted his back very gently and finally put him back to sleep. Now it was time for him to get some sleep.

He woke up in the morning and put his arm around Padme. He felt around for her body and finally found it. A sea of comfort washed over him the like waves on Naboo. His mind was taken back there and remembered the good times. He blinked a couple of times and got of bed. He took a shower and brushed his teeth and started to pack. In his bag, he put in his old hilt. One of the three things he kept from the order. Padme walked in.

"Where are you going?"

"Illum."

"Why?"

"Yoda came to me in a dream and told me too. I must do this to begin my path to the Jedi." Padme looked at him and bit her lip thinking.

"Just come home safe. I love you."

"I love you too. I'm getting my brother to come and help out." He finished packing and went outside. He proceeded to the back of the house and there was his Jedi starfighter.

"R2 come over here." The droid beeped and got into the starfighter. "Ready for another adventure?"

"Beepowhoop." Anakin smiled and turned on the ship. It rose three feet in the air and he took off. He picked up speed and lifted out of the atmosphere. He called over his hyperdrive ring, he docked and then punched in the coordinates. He punched it and everything became blue.

Finally, he dropped out of hyperspace. What greeted him was a fleet of Venator-class Star Destroyers.

"Jedi Starfighter identify yourself." It was the voice of a clone. _Oh great, I wonder if my identification code still works._

"This is Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, identification code 3-1-9-3." There was a pause on the other end. The Jedi kept his banishment under wraps because how would it look if a hero of the clone wars, slayer of two sith got banished because of a rule infraction.

"Roger, welcome General Skywalker."

"Thank you. Out of curiosity, who's the Jedi in charge with this fleet."

"That would be Obi-Wan Kenobi, sir." _Great, I have to deal with Obi-Wan._ Anakin did some thinking and remembered that Obi-Wan had been charged with commanding the 212th and 501st. Meaning Rex was on the planet, maybe even Ashoka. Ashoka and Rex he could trust, but Obi-Wan? Then he realized he was still communication with the clone.

"I will also need the holo channels for the fleet. Think I can get those?"

"Yes, sir I'm sending them to you now." He got them and immediately hid his presence on there. With the amount of force connection on the planet, he could easily hide his presence within the force.

"Thank you." He remembered he had to respond. He cut off the communications and flew to the other side of the world. He could let Ashoka sense him and have her meet him. She would know not to let Obi-Wan know. What about Rex how would he get him to him? He thought about this and then decided to just get Ashoka first and get Rex later. He detached the ring and made his way down to the planet. Reaching out to Ashoka as he did so. _Let's hope this works._


	2. A Cave and a Chasm

Anakins ship gently touched the ground. He grabbed his giant fur coat and his bag filled with enough supplies for weeks. Who knows how long finding a good crystal was gonna take.

"Artoo, stay with the ship I'll be back, I promise." The droid responded with a sad beeewoop. "Don't worry I can still contact you." He held up his communicator. He put it back in his pocket and started to move forward.

He surveyed his surroundings, off to the left was a massive mountain, to the right a drop. In front of him laid a snowy plain. He stopped for a moment and connected to the force to guide him. He breathed out and felt the steam rise and drift. He focused on it and notice it traveled towards the mountain. The same area he felt a strong connection to the force from. He opened his eyes and moved to the mountain. He saw a small little opening to a cave and started to move towards. _whoooosh, _he looked up and saw a LAAT that was flying low. He was trying to sense Ashoka to see if she was on it. Then he did. He smiled, but then he felt something else. _Obi-Wan, that nerf herder._ Anakin thought quickly and moved into the cave. He just wanted to talk to Ashoka and Rex. He continued inside and he heard Obi-Wan's voice from outside.

"Ashoka you take Rex and move into the cave. Cody and I will search over there. Contact us through the communicator if you find anything. You sure you felt him?"

"Yes, Master I did." _That little rat! _Anakin thought, he had been sure Ashoka wouldn't have said anything. He moved forward letting the force guide him. The passage was narrow and ice stalagmites and stalactites raised from the floor and ceiling. He used the force to light up the Kyber Crystals to see. He continued on, constantly hearing Ashoka and Rex behind him. Finally, the narrow passage made way to a massive chasm. He looked below and saw hundreds of skeletons. _I hope I don't end up like them._ Then behind him he heard Ashoka's voice get closer.

"I've been told by the council that he was taking the Barash vow."

"What's that?" Asked Rex

"A vow that refrains from all Jedi activities and to focus on combat." Anakin thought for a minute. He wanted to talk but not yet. Not until he had a crystal in case he had to fight. He looked at the narrow passage and the drop. The drop was at least 80 feet. He backed up a bit and slipped. He grabbed the first thing he could and he hung.

"Look, a chasm," Rex noted.

"Help!" Anakin called.

"Skyguy?"

"I'm hanging on the ledge. get me up there." Rex bent down he had his hand out. Anakin reached for it then fell. He tumbled down and then used the force to soften the landing.

"Come on down." He said smiling. Rex attached his cable to the edge and started to repel down. Ashoka followed, soon they were at the bottom with Anakin.

"Why did you leave?" Ashoka asked as soon as she set foot at the bottom.

"What?"

"Why did you take the Barash vow."

"That's a lie. What happened was Master Windu went to confront Palpatine after I told him about the Chancellor being a Sith Lord. I was to stay at the temple but I had a bad feeling so I decided to go. When I was there Palpatine was on the ground and Windu was over him. He took advantage of me and Windu fighting and struck him force lightning making him unconscious. I and Palpatine got into a saber fight that lasted hours and moved through the Senate building and out onto the streets. It wasn't until I manage to take off a limb I was able to finally kill him."

"That's all well and good but that still doesn't explain the vow." Rex piped in.

"I never took it, I had been involved romantically with Padme. We have two children together. After the fight, I told Windu and when the War came to an end they banished me." They sat in silence for a few moments before Ashoka broke the ice.

"So why did you come to Illum?" Ani pulled out his hilt and showed them.

"They took the crystal. Yoda came to me when I was asleep and basically said the way for me to make up for my mistakes is to become a Grey Jedi."

"So you're trying to find a crystal?" Rex asked.

"Yeah, but none of them have spoken to me yet." That's when he finally looked around and noticed the lightsaber hilts with the skeletons. He picked one up and it glowed a magnificent emerald green. They all look at each other.

"This must've been a massive battle," Ashoka said quietly as a mouse. That's when Anakin heard it a slight voice from the back of his mind he couldn't place it though. He moved until the voice became a scream. He had a sudden urge to look down and he saw it. A skeleton clad in ancient Sith battle armor. Right next to the bones laid the lightsaber and he picked it up and turned it on. The crimson red glowed in the almost dark,

"This is it." He said in a voice that was sure.

"I'm sorry General, but uh, it's red," Rex said just behind Ashoka.

"Yeah, but I can make it white. Sith usually will take a crystal and pour all of the dark side force over it to make it 'bleed' and that's what makes it red." He started to explain. "If I can just put the pure force in it I should be able to return it to just the force." Anakin finished.

"Really, you can do that?" Ashoka asked.

"I don't see why not. If it worked for the Sith it should theoretically work for me."

"What's this?" Rex knelt down and picked up what appeared to be a Holocron.

"That's a Holocron." Ashoka took it from Rex and looked at it.

"I'll take it. You tell the Jedi about this place it needs to be known and catalog. I will take this to a planet where I won't be bothered and is filled with the force."

"And where's that Skyguy?"

"The first Jedi temple, the one on Tython."


	3. The Hum

The Old Naboo royal spacecraft touched the green grass and Anakin stepped out with Leia. He admired the sun and the clear blue sky before just breathing in the wonderful spring air. They were in a small clearing surrounded by trees in full bloom. Some had pink blossoms while others had the green that reminded Anakin of Yoda's lightsaber. Off to the left lay a wide river and further up ahead were massive statues.

"See those up ahead Leia?" Anakin asked the baby. "Those are the statues that represent the first Jedi." Anakin smiled he hadn't been here in so long. The last time was with Obi-Wan when he was a Padawan. He said in order to be a Jedi he needed to know where they came from. Anakin again smiled and took a deep breath he was happy to be here with his family.

"I've haven't seen you smile this much in a while," Padme said behind him. C3PO followed her.

"It feels right to be here. Look over there." He pointed to the temple that poked out just above the treeline.

"Wow, it looks like it's in good shape."

"it is, the Jedi Education Corps takes care of it."

"The Education Corps?"

"Yeah, it's where all the Archivists and Lorekeepers belong. They are stationed at certain temples and maintain it's upkeep to make sure it's passed on to the future generation of Jedi. But I wanted to stop here so we can get our story straight. So because you're the Nabooan ambassador to Tatooine. Let's say you have a bounty on your head from the Hutts. That's why I'm here to protect you. Padme looked confused. She looked at Anakin then to the twins.

"You're forgetting about the babies."

"Remember when you were rumored to be having a thing with Senator Organa?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll just say they're his or that you don't want to talk about it." Padme nodded. They got back on the sleek silver ship and headed towards the landing pad at the temple. When they landed they were greeted by three scholars.

"Ah hello Knight Anakin, we weren't expecting you." The one in the middle spoke. She had blonde hair that was greying a wrinkled forehead and laugh lines.

"Ah yes, well you see, Ambassador Amidala here has a threat on her life and I've been charged with protecting her. The clearly aging women smiled and nodded.

"Well right this way I'll show you to your rooms." The other two ladies left them alone and they started to move. They walked into the main hall and were amazed. Anakin always admired the centerpiece for the grand hall.

"So Knight Anakin are they yours?" Anakin was astounded.

"Wh-what no wa..."

"Don't worry I have had four children myself." She said with a smile.

"How did you keep them a secret?"

"Well, bigger robes, saying I had the Trandoshan flu. It worked gave birth and immediately gave them up for anonymous adoption. Don't worry I won't tell anyone."

"Well, actually the council already knows. After the duel on Coruscant, I told them."

"Why?"

"I just felt I couldn't keep it a secret anymore. When she gave birth eventually it would've been traced all back to me. Heh, Obi-Wan was furious but Yoda, Yoda was more understanding." The aging lady nodded and showed them their singular room.

"I'm just messing with you Yoda called up before you guys got here. Whatever you need let us know." Anakin chuckled at the ladies joke.

"Well, I would appreciate a map of the surrounding grounds and the most force attuned places."

"Of course I'll get you that." The lady left the room and made her way down the stairs.

"Any idea where you're gonna go?" Padme asked as she sat down Luke.

"I have an idea. It's an old lightsaber forge, I remember Qui-Gon talking about it as a story he told me. Before he died of course. It's where Padawans went to build their first lightsaber."

"Seems a fitting place."

"The only problem I don't know where it is really. I hope the holocrons they have, show the location otherwise, I don't know where else to go."

"You could try a relaxing waterfall." She said with a smile. Anakin smiled too. They embraced and Anakin realized he'd been tense. "Everything will work trust me." There was a knock at the door and in came the lady.

"These two are force attuned places this one is a general map, and I figured the forge would be a good place so here's a Holocron on that."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure." With that, she left. Anakin poured over the hlocrons until he had the geography of the surrounding area memorized. He left around midnight. He kissed Padme on the forehead and walked out the door. The area past the temple had these unorganized creatures that pose a threat. Due to him not having a working lightsaber he did not dare to go through in daylight. He walked down the stairs quietly and slipped out the front door. The two moons were high up, and where white as creme. He moved to the speeder area and got on. He turned it on and it was as silent as the rest of the area. It lifted just a little bit off of the steel ground and he sped off. The ground and area were becoming a blur. Just splotches of green and pink Anakin took a left turn and then a right. The moons were dipping below the horizon line, the sun was beginning to peek out. Finally, he stopped.

What laid before him was an ancient stone structure and a set up of crumbling stair leading up to it. The force ebbed and flowed through this place like gravity. Something felt but not seen. He carefully walked up the stairs respecting the whole place. He got to the top and there was a lightsaber forge. He could feel all of the padawans before him making their first lightsaber. He placed the red crystal on the table and sat crossed legged. He closed his eyes and focused. He felt the crystal screaming begging to be fixed. He focused good thoughts on it. Then he was sent back and tumbling down the stairs. He pushed himself up with his knee. He tried again with the same result, and again. Finally, he had enough and was about to give up when he heard a voice call to him.

"Anakin," It called. it sounded familiar almost like Qui-Gon. "It's one thing to think the thoughts, it's another to believe. In order to achieve it, you must remember." Anakin went back up sat down crossed legged once more and remembered. He remembered the times on Tatooine with his mom. He remembered meeting Padme, becoming a Jedi Knight, times with Ashoka, and Rex. That's when he was transported. It looked like Geonosis, no, it was Geonosis. All around were spires and sand. A sandstorm started to blow fiercely, he began to walk. He tripped and fell and soon realized what it was. Padme's body holding the twins. He shook it off all of this was fake. He must trust in the force. He moved again taking smaller steps making sure not to fall. He tapped another body and realized it was Obi-Wan. _More dark side tricks._ He continued on, there were more bodies, Ashoka, Yoda, and Rex. Every time he reminded himself that this was fake. Until he came across his mother's body. She looked like the last time he saw her.

"It's fake!" He said aloud slowly feeling anger swelling up. _In order to pass, you must not use anger or hatred. Move on and forget._ He didn't know where that thought came from. He kneeled down near her body.

"I'm sorry mom. I love you and I understand you left because you had too. Be one with the force." Her body turned over.

"Thank you." She said and in an exasperated whisper. Finally, the storm cleared and a man with dark cloak was in front of him. His hood was on and his head down. Anakin couldn't make out the face but it looked familiar.

"I, I am a monument to your sins and failures." The man's voice was distorted and the sound of a respirator every time he took a breath. He looked up and saw his face. It was Anakin's but burnt to a horrible crisp. The burnt clone drew his lightsaber, it looked like Anakins but bright red. Anakin drew his, they started at each other both in their form V stance. Waiting for one of them to make their first move. Anakin finally surveyed him more closely and saw most of his limbs were robotic if not all. If he used acrobatics he could gain the upper hand. Finally, the dark cloaked him lunged. Anakin deflected the lightsaber and sidestepped. He swung but caught nothing but lightsaber. Anakin backed up a little.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Darth Vader." The man again attacked with twirls. Anakin deflected them, he jumped and forced Darth Vader to crane around. He swung and Vader just barely blocked the lightsaber. Vader finished turning and again attacked. This time with more power than Anakin had. With each flourish, Anakin felt vulnerable until his lightsaber was knocked from his hand. With one good force push Ani was knocked back.

"What are you?" He called. He inched forward lightsaber trailing making a path of glass.

"I am your dark side." Anikan realized he was fighting the darkness in him.

"I accept you." Vader stopped. Anikan realized that there is no darkness without light almost like day and night. The burnt man faded away to dust. He came too back in the forge. Tears streaming. Not from sadness but from beauty as if all of life's biggest mysteries were revealed to him. He felt lighter, freer as if all his stress and things holding him down had been knocked away. He stood up and looked at the crystal, instead of being red it was right. He took off his hilt used the force to deconstruct it. Then with great speed put it back together with crystal in it. He floated it to his outreached hands and then gripped it. He turned it on and purred like an animal. He felt breathing with every hum. He was complete.


End file.
